(ANSA) - Imperia, June 20 - A lifeguard got into trouble on the Italian Riviera Friday after leaving a blow-up doll in his place while he took a break.
Coast guards checking safety standards along the coast came across the doll sitting in the lifeguard's deckchair with his vest on and his whistle sticking out of her mouth.
She had a pair of binoculars and a lifebuoy close to hand.
The lifeguard was tracked down and fined 1,000 euros.
Comedian George Carlin, a counter-culture hero famed for his routines about drugs, dirty words and the demise of humanity, died of heart failure at a Los Angeles-area hospital on Sunday. He was 71.
Carlin, who had a history of heart and drug-dependency problems, died at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica about 6 p.m. PDT (9 p.m. EDT) after being admitted earlier in the afternoon for chest pains, spokesman Jeff Abraham told Reuters.
Known for his edgy, provocative material developed over 50 years, the bald, bearded Carlin achieved status as an anti-Establishment icon in the 1970s with stand-up bits full of drug references and a routine called "Seven Words You Can Never Say On Television." A regulatory battle over a radio broadcast of the routine ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the 1978 case, Federal Communications Commission vs. Pacifica Foundation, the top U.S. court ruled that the words cited in Carlin's routine were indecent, and that the government's broadcast regulator could ban them from being aired at times when children might be listening.
The Grammy-winning Carlin remained an active presence on the comedy circuit. Carlin was scheduled to receive the John F. Kennedy Center's prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in November and his publicist said Carlin performed in Las Vegas this month.
His comedic sensibility revolved around a central theme: humanity is a cursed, doomed species.
"I don't have any beliefs or allegiances. I don't believe in this country, I don't believe in religion, or a god, and I don't believe in all these man-made institutional ideas," he told Reuters in a 2001 interview.
Carlin told Playboy in 2005 that he looked forward to an afterlife where he could watch the decline of civilization on a "heavenly CNN."
"The world is a big theater-in-the round as far as I'm concerned, and I'd love to watch it spin itself into oblivion," he said. "Tune in and watch the human adventure."
Carlin wrote three best-selling books, won four Grammy Awards, recorded 22 comedy albums, headlined 14 HBO television specials, and hosted hundreds of variety shows. One was the first episode of "Saturday Night Live" in 1975, when he was high on cocaine.
Drug addiction plagued him for much of his life, beginning with marijuana experimentation as a teen, graduating to cocaine in the 1970s, and then to prescription painkillers and wine. During the cocaine years, Carlin ignored his finances and ended up owing about $3 million in back taxes. In 2004, he entered a Los Angeles rehab clinic for his alcohol and Vicodin abuse.
George Dennis Carlin was born on May 12, 1937, in New York City, where he was raised with an older brother by their single mother. He fondly recalled that the nuns at his school tolerated his early comedic inclinations.
After a brief, troubled stint in the U.S. Air Force, he started honing his comic act, developing such characters as Al Sleet, a "hippie-dippie weatherman."
Carlin told Playboy that his sensibilities developed in the 1950s, "when comedy stopped being safe ... (and) became about saying no to authority." He cited such influences as Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, Dick Gregory and Bob Newhart.
He also dabbled in movies and television, recently voicing a hippie Volkswagen bus named Fillmore in the Pixar cartoon "Cars."
Carlin is survived by his second wife Sally Wade; daughter Kelly Carlin McCall; and brother Patrick. His first wife, Brenda, died of cancer in 1997. News of his death was first reported by the television show "Entertainment Tonight."
#1
I recall his clean cut comedy period. Although he embraced the sixties counter-culture, he was closer to the libertarian position in his later years. His stuff was observational, rather than vulgar. Yah, he did the first Saturday Night Live. I saw that one. I recall that the Ford administration tried to use the show to get votes. The President's press secretary - Ron Nesson - was an early host, and the President did some recorded bits. Then again, Nixon uttered this line on "Laugh In": "Sock it to me!" Believe it or not. See yah, George.
#5
He was basically a classless jerk. He had no value system and what philosophy he did have was weak and aberrant to the point of nihilism. He will only be missed by the sophomoric Porky's among us.
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
06/23/2008 8:50 Comments ||
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#6
And yet, didn't he play one of the main characters on a PBS children's show for many years?
#7
He prematurely aged, and his humor took a nose dive thanks to his profound addiction to cocaine.
To his credit I will note something said by Joan Rivers, that comedy can be 49% anger and 51% humor, but if it becomes more than 50% anger, it stops being funny.
Lenny Bruce clearly crossed the line into bitter anger and meanness, but Carlin never did. I suppose that is the dividing line between a Democrat and a Libertarian, and why Democrats aren't funny.
#13
Not many men are willing to go the SCT just to prove a point. Carlin did. Say what you will about his humor. The man had balls, and in today's world that's distinction enough.
#15
Alec Baldwin (douchebag as a person but a damn funny actor) also narates for "thomas" - as I have 2 little ones - thomas is on occasionally. I thought Carlin had his funny moments - he had a skit back in the 80s w/his daughter IIRC - pretty funny.
#16
I agree with Jack on this one. No sympathy here, glad he's gone. Carlin was just another foul-mouthed, culture-destroying lefty. At least now he can't do any more harm in person. Let's hope his crap disappears as quickly and thoroughly as Lenny Bruce's did.
Posted by: Thaimble Scourge of the Pixies4707 ||
06/23/2008 19:01 Comments ||
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LAS VEGAS, June 23 (UPI) Employees of brothels in Nevada say high gas prices are taking a dramatic toll on their business. So there is more that one form of whore in town, huh?
With fuel prices at an all-time high, truckers who frequent Nevada's 28 legal brothels no longer have any extra money, ABC News reports. 'Most of these truckers used to have $100 they could spend. Now they're struggling to pay for fuel,' says Cindy Howe, a bartender at the Stardust Ranch in eastern Nevada. She says Stardust is down to only two girls despite offering incentives like free showers, parking and coffee to customers. How about free gas with ass? That promotion should work well.
'The cost of fuel is screwing killing us,' says Karl Hardy, another Stardust bartender. 'Tourists can't afford it.' A lobbyist for the Nevada Brothel Owners' Association says many members have been seeing their revenues drop from 20 to 45 percent. Who knew there was a Nevada Brothel Owners' Association? That probably has different rules and by-laws than my local Home-Owners Ass'n. wonder if it is a 501(3)(c)
One brothel near Las Vegas is planning to give out a gas card next month hoping that will spur business. Saudi Arabia is going to increase pumping, the Nevada Brothel Owners' Ass'n hopes this promotion does the same, albeit on a local scale.
#3
I"m sorry, this sounds like crap; All fleet drivers (drivers who drive for a company), use a gas card to pay for gas that is paid for by the trucking company.
This makes it sound like the poor truckers are having to pay fuel costs... Unless you're an independent you'll never see the bill...
#4
Not true of owner ops. Especially if they fill on their dime and get reimbursed later. Takes up to $1K to fill a big rig. That's a lot of money to float and there are a lot of oo/id's out the float.
#5
9-10% of the truckers in the US are owner-operators according to the Dept. of Labor. But that includes local and short haul/regional drivers, who are much more likely to be employees than independents or OOs. So the percentage of long haul drivers who are OOs is well over 10%, which will indeed cut into the business at the truck stops.
#6
Full Service is too expensive compared to the handy alternative?
Posted by: Bin thinking again ||
06/23/2008 20:04 Comments ||
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#7
IIRC NET > Twasn't the MSM-TV-celeb BUNNY RANCH officially closed down years ago - I'm sure I'd seen on the Net indics that its still in operation???
#8
OK, thanks for the lessons on OO trucks; I stand corrected (#5), and didn't realize some guys have to fill up on their dime. My uncle is a driver for a large fleet, and I assumed it was like that for most drivers..
In an attempt to escape torture of her abnormal husband, a young woman from Chakrala has landed in further trouble.
Every door she knocked at, including that of her parents, was slammed in her face. Her misery compounded when she finally got refuge at the house of a landlord. Currently, she is running from pillar to the post to get justice.
An abduction case has been registered against Namal Union Council Nazim Malik Allahyar Khan, his sons Malik Shehryar and Malik Atharyar and others, but police are reluctant to arrest them. I will commit suicide outside the chief ministers house if the culprits are not arrested and brought to the court of law, says 24-year-old Farzana.
Narrating her story, with tears rolling down her eyes, Farzana says she was married to Arshad Iqbal of Chakrala three months ago, but the man was cruel and abnormal and thrashed her frequently, without any reasons. She left his house to get rid of his atrocities, went to her parents and asked them to dissolve the marriage, but they forced her to return to her husband.
Instead of going back to her husbands house, she took refuge in the house of local bigwig Muhammad Mushtaq two weeks ago and asked him to free her from her husbands clutches. Instead of helping her, Mushtaq kept her locked in a room for days and finally introduced her to Allahyar Khan, who already had a plan in his mind about her use. He asked Farzana to register a kidnap and rape case against his rival Muhammad Irfan and others and warned her of consequences if she refused.
In the meantime, my mother succumbed to Allahyar Khans demand to save my life and registered a case of my abduction with Chakrala police against Irfan and his four friends.
She said she escaped from Mushtaqs custody and appeared in the court of a local magistrate to record her statement. She told the magistrate that she was not kidnapped by Irfan and his friends, rather she had been detained by Mushtaq. She said that her mother had registered a case against Irfan and others under Allahyar Khans pressure. On her request, the magistrate did not send her to Darul Amaan and allowed her to stay with her uncle.
Farzana said Allahyar Khan, who is also opposition leader in the district assembly, and his men tried to kidnap her from the premises of the district courts when she came there for a hearing, adding that the accused captured her and tore her clothes, but some people rescued her from them.
The district police officer was not available for comment because he was out of his office.
However, Malik Shehryar denied Farzanas allegations and said that their political opponents were using the woman against them.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/23/2008 00:00 ||
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#1
These people's "quaint" customs are being "misunderstood" by "judgemental" westerners whose society is "no better," only "different."
Liberal bullshit on stale toast...
Posted by: M. Murcek ||
06/23/2008 13:03 Comments ||
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An innocent boy was killed and seven others, including woman and children, were injured in a blast occurred at the shop of a junk dealer, in Rehmoon Wali area in Ghotki on Saturday.
Reports reaching here said that Mohammad Hussain, 7, son of Munawwar Hussain, was at his fathers shop. He was playing with junk and was hammering an old ghee-tin. Suddenly a huge explosion took place, as a result of which Mohammad Hussain died on the spot.
Seven others, including Atta Mohammad, Mai Maryam, Mohammad Ali, Bakhshoo, Mohammad Umer, Rukhsana and Shahida were injured in the blast.
They were shifted to Taluka Hhospital Ghotki and later Mai Maryam and Bakhshoo were referred to civil hospital in Sukkur in critical condition.
On contact, the SPO Ghotki Mohammad Hashim Memon said that the blast occurred when the child unknowingly hit with a hammer on the old tin can which contained a shell of rocket. It exploded and as a result the boy lost his life and seven others were injured.
He said that a case would be registered after an investigation.
Posted by: Fred ||
06/23/2008 00:00 ||
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AMMAN - Jordan on Sunday returned to Iraq some 2,466 artefacts, including gold coins, jewellery and Islamic and ancient manuscripts, that were stolen after the 2003 US-led invasion of its neighbour. Now that stability is restored in Iraq, Jordan decided to return these antiquities to where they belong, to Iraq, the cradle of civilisation, Jordanian Tourism Minister Maha Khatib told a news conference.
She handed over the artefacts to her counterpart Mohammed Abbas Al Oraibi during a ceremony at Jordan's department of antiquities in Amman. The objects have been seized by Jordanian customs officials in 22 smuggling attempts. All those involved have been arrested, Khatib said.
Posted by: Steve White ||
06/23/2008 00:00 ||
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A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
